Florida is preparing to carry out two executions on the same day, an unusually rare move that has drawn alarm from death penalty experts, civil rights groups and advocates who warn that the compressed schedule could increase the risk of serious mistakes.
Barring last-minute court intervention, James Duckett, 68, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at noon Tuesday at Florida State Prison near Starke. Dominick Occhicone, 80, is scheduled to be executed six hours later at the same prison.
If both executions proceed, it would mark Florida’s first same-day double execution since before the modern era of the U.S. death penalty began in 1976. The last U.S. state to carry out two executions in one day was Arkansas in 2017, when Jack Jones and Marcel Williams were executed hours apart. That episode was later criticized after witnesses and lawyers raised concerns about the procedures.
Florida has not carried out multiple executions on the same day since 1964, according to a review cited in the source material.
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Death penalty experts say the situation is extremely uncommon. Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, described two executions in a single day as “incredibly rare” and questioned why Florida would proceed with such speed while providing limited public explanation.
Under Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida has sharply accelerated its use of the death penalty. The state carried out 19 executions last year and has already executed 10 people this year before the scheduled double execution. That pace has made Florida the most active death penalty state in the country, ahead of Texas.
Supporters of capital punishment argue that the state is enforcing lawful sentences after decades of appeals. They say victims’ families should not be forced to wait indefinitely when courts have upheld convictions and sentences.
Opponents argue that speed should not come at the expense of transparency, accuracy or humane treatment. Human rights organization Reprieve has warned that hurried execution schedules can increase the chance of errors, including problems with lethal injection drugs, staff preparation or medical complications.
Matt Wells, deputy director of Reprieve US, said Florida’s pace raises concerns that condemned prisoners could suffer unnecessarily. The group has also criticized Florida’s secrecy around execution drugs and procedures, arguing that the public cannot properly evaluate whether executions are being carried out lawfully and humanely.
Florida officials have generally defended the state’s execution process, but critics say the lack of detailed public information makes independent review difficult.
Both men scheduled for execution have circumstances that advocates say deserve attention.
Occhicone, 80, was sentenced to death for murdering his former girlfriend’s parents in 1986. If executed, he would become the oldest person put to death in Florida’s history. His age has become part of the debate, with opponents arguing that he is physically frail and does not present the same security concerns as a younger prisoner.
Duckett, a former police officer, was sentenced to death for the 1987 murder of an 11-year-old girl. He has maintained his innocence, and DNA testing of crime scene evidence was reportedly inconclusive. His supporters argue that unresolved questions should prevent the execution from going forward.
Another concern is that neither man received a unanimous jury recommendation for death. Occhicone’s jury reportedly voted 7-5 in favor of capital punishment, while Duckett’s voted 8-4. Florida has changed its death penalty rules multiple times over the years, and non-unanimous death recommendations remain a major point of controversy.
The double execution plan comes amid renewed national debate over capital punishment. Several states have struggled to obtain lethal injection drugs because of opposition from pharmaceutical companies, leading some officials elsewhere to revive alternative execution methods such as the firing squad.
At the same time, questions about wrongful convictions and unreliable forensic evidence continue to affect death penalty cases. Recent cases involving discredited bite-mark evidence and other contested forensic methods have intensified criticism from legal experts who argue that capital punishment leaves no room to correct mistakes after the sentence is carried out.
For Florida, Tuesday’s schedule will be closely watched. The state says it is carrying out lawful sentences. Critics say the rare double execution reflects an alarming rush, made worse by secrecy around the process.
Why It Matters
Executions are the most final act a state can carry out. When two are scheduled on the same day, the pressure on prison staff, medical personnel, lawyers and witnesses increases significantly.
The case also raises broader questions about transparency in the death penalty system. If the public cannot clearly evaluate how executions are carried out, confidence in the process may weaken, especially when prisoners raise unresolved legal or medical concerns.
What Comes Next
Lawyers for Duckett and Occhicone may continue seeking last-minute stays in state or federal court. If no court intervenes, Florida is expected to proceed with both lethal injections on Tuesday.
Afterward, rights groups and death penalty experts are likely to scrutinize the procedures closely, especially if there are any delays, complications or signs that the compressed schedule created problems.
Lawyers for James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block Florida’s scheduled same-day double execution.
Counsel for James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone have filed a joint petition for writ of certiorari challenging tomorrow’s scheduled double execution in Florida. https://t.co/Znl5oVhsAo @FLDeathPenalty @FADPorg @uscedp #deathpenalty pic.twitter.com/p0yKz0hOeT
— Robert Dunham (@RDunhamDP) July 28, 2026
